"Where Have All the Franklinias Gone?"
Historic Bartram's Garden in Philadelphia is asking that question in a
grand manner by sponsoring a census of Franklinia alatamaha trees
throughout the world. The census honors the 300th anniversary of the
birth of John Bartram, America's first botanist. Bartram and his son
William found a small number of previously undescribed trees along
Georgia's Altamaha River in 1765; Bartram returned to gather seeds and
named his find Franklinia alatamaha in honor of his friend, Benjamin
Franklin. The species was last seen growing wild in 1803, but it has
flourished in ornamental landscapes. All specimens alive today are
descended from the seeds collected by Bartram. The Franklinia census is
the first attempt to determine just how far and wide the species has
spread under domestication. Responses from both public and private
gardens are being sought.
For an official census form, send a self-addressed stamped
business-size envelope to Historic Bartram's Garden, 54th St. &
Lindbergh Blvd., Philadelphia, PA 18143. Or check the web page ate
www.libertynet.org/~bartram, where results to date from the census are
posted. The deadline for submitting Franklinia census forms is May
1999. [NOTE! The census form is also available at
www.libertynet.org/bartram/franklinia.html].
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Reprinted with permission from the July 1998 _HortIdeas_. Copyright 1998
by Greg and Pat Williams. _HortIdeas_ (ISSN 0742-8219) is published
monthly by Gregory and Patricia Y. Williams, 750 Black Lick Road,
Switch, KY 40328 U.S.A. Annual subscription rates: U.S., $20 periodicals
or $22 first class; Canada and Mexico, $26; Overseas, $30 surface mail
or $35 air mail. Single issues: North America, $2.00 each; Overseas,
$3.00 each, surface mail, or $3.50 each, air mail. The email address for
_HortIdeas_ is: gwill at mis.net. _HortIdeas_ is now on the world wide web
at http://www.earthonline.net/biz/rareideas/